Memorial fund established in honour of late Leicester City owner

The Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha Foundation has launched the Gift Of A Wish fund, offering a total of £610,000 for any charity, with priority given to projects in the East Midlands or Leicestershire areas

Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha at a Leicester City match

Charities of all kinds are being invited to apply for a share of £610,000 from a memorial fund for the Leicester City Football Club owner and chairman who died in a helicopter crash last year.

Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha was one of five people who were killed in a helicopter crash at Leicester City’s King Power Stadium in October.

The club renamed its charitable foundation after him and, in honour of what would have been his 61st birthday on 4 April, has launched the Gift Of A Wish campaign, a funding pot of up to £610,000 for charities in need of any size or cause area.

In a statement released today, the Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha Foundation said it welcomed diversity in applications in order to honour Srivaddhanaprabha’s personal history of philanthropy to causes large and small.

Susan Whelan, chief executive of Leicester City, said: "Khun Vichai’s benevolence and generous acts were as varied as they were plentiful, and it’s important that his foundation continues in that spirit.

"He treated modest causes with the same respect and dignity that he showed to major beneficiaries, and it is in that manner that we will continue to support those in need in our community.

"There were many causes close to Khun Vichai’s heart, which we would naturally like to see reflected in Gift Of A Wish.

"He cared deeply about people and their impact within the community, which will be a major consideration for the foundation when assessing what I’m sure will be a great variety of applications."

The charity said priority would be given to projects in the East Midlands and Leicestershire areas, and it would not be able offer funding to cover core funds, general costs, salaries, marketing or travel costs.

Expert Hub

When a property is being constructed, VAT is charged at the standard rate. But if you're a charity, health body, educational institution, housing association or finance house, the work may well fall into a category that justifies zero-rating - and you could make a massive saving